Wodapalooza Gains Sanctioned Status

Today, CrossFit HQ announced that Wodapalooza 2019 will be an official sanctioned event and qualify one male, female and team to the 2019 CrossFit Games. Wodapalooza is the 7th official CrossFit sanctioned event to be announced in recent weeks.

“Wodapalooza brings its distinctive character and culture to the CrossFit Games season,” said CrossFit founder and Chairman Greg Glassman. “They figured out that Miami in winter — sun, bathing suits, balconies, and bright lights at night — is a world-class destination for showcasing the fittest and healthiest people on earth. It’s a party.”

In addition, CrossFit also further clarified what happens when an athlete who has already qualified for the CrossFit Games takes the top spot at a sanctioned event:

“As with all CrossFit-sanctioned events in the 2019 Games season, should the top male or female athlete at Wodapalooza qualify for the CrossFit Games by other means, then the number two podium finisher will receive a Games invitation,” CrossFit said in a press release.

Heading into their eighth year, Wodapalooza has hosted tens of thousands of fans and spectators in Miami, FL. Last year, nearly 1600 athletes across 40 divisions competed.

“This partnership represents a new chapter in our history, and we look forward to working with CrossFit to continue bringing our partners, spectators, and competing athletes an unforgettable event and competition in January,” said Matt O’Keefe, President of Loud and Live Sports, owner of Wodapalooza CrossFit Festival.

Qualifying for Wodapalooza

The online qualifier kicks off on Wednesday, October 3 (you can get 20% off registration with code “WZACHALKUP18”) and the top 20 athletes will earn a spot to compete in the Elite/Pro division. Wodapalooza will also extend invitations to the top 20 male and female athletes from the 2018 CrossFit Games to bypass the online qualifier and compete at Wodapalooza January 17-20, 2019. Elite/Pro teams can also request an invite.

Similar to the Dubai CrossFit Championship, who just reversed their policy requiring all athletes complete the online qualifier, Wodapalooza will also be inviting past champions. However, it’s still to be determined how far back those invitations will extend.